Quarry Hills course ranked among six best-designed

Saturday

Oct 27, 2012 at 12:01 AMOct 27, 2012 at 3:54 AM

Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills is one of six golf facilities from across the country honored by the inaugural American Society of Golf Course Architects Design Excellence Recognition program for its work in addressing unique design challenges.

Bob Dicesare

Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills has earned much acclaim since opening in 2003, but its most recent recognition is perhaps its most fitting honor.

Granite Links was one of six golf facilities from across the country honored by the inaugural American Society of Golf Course Architects Design Excellence Recognition program for its work in addressing unique design challenges.

The program reflects on the innovation and problem-solving skills required of today’s golf course designs, ranging from something as small as a bunker renovation to a full-scale, 18-hole layout.

The John Sanford-designed project at Granite Links involved taking 10 million cubic yards of fill from Boston’s Big Dig site and using the material to close two landfills and build 27 golf holes with spectacular views of the Boston skyline, harbor, and Blue Hills Reservation. It also reduced the excavation disposal budget for the Boston Central Artery project by $100 million.

Sanford Golf Design has built golf courses around the world with an emphasis on courses that complement the marketplace and environment, while also striking a balance of beauty, strategy and playability. The Granite Links project began in 2002 with nine holes first opening for play in 2003 followed by another set of nine holes in 2004. The clubhouse and the final nine holes (27 total) were completed in 2006.

“Individually, these are impressive projects,” ASGCA President Bob Cupp said. “Each project shows the considerable value a golf course can bring, positively impacting the environment, the economy, and the social makeup of its community.”

“This is different, because all of our other awards have been based upon the quality of the golf course, food and service,” said Chris Sleeper, the director of golf at Granite Links who was the club’s very first hire in May, 2003. “This was about the difficulty of the landfill and recognizing how the facility was built, putting in the gas system and capping the land.”

“It could have gone to a single-hole project here, but given the situation, it was the entire quarry project,” added Sleeper. “So many things happened in order for this golf club to evolve – cutting down trees, grinding up stumps, putting down loom and sand, plus the irrigation. There was also the dealings with authorities concerning the quarries. It definitely had its challenges.”

Granite Links has received numerous accolades since first opening as a private membership club with limited non-member access. Honors include Top 10 Best New Upscale Course in America in 2004 and Top 100 Golf Course in America for 2009 and 2010 by Golf Digest. The clubhouse’s public-access restaurant, The Tavern at Quarry Hills, was voted a Top 50 Best 19th Hole in America by Golf Digest, as well as Best of Boston recognition from Boston Magazine.